Synthesis of hypercrosslinked polymers using coconut oil as a renewable, bio-based solvent

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Hypercrosslinked polymers are essential porous materials with broad applications.
• Traditional synthesis relies on hazardous chlorinated solvents, facing regulatory challenges.
• There is a need for sustainable alternatives in polymer production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sustainable synthesis for hypercrosslinked polymers.
• To replace hazardous chlorinated solvents with renewable bio-based oils.
• To investigate the impact of bio-based oil composition on polymer properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilized coconut oil as a solvent for hypercrosslinked polymer synthesis.
• Characterized the resulting polymers for surface area, thermal stability, and chemical resistance.
• Analyzed the correlation between fatty acid composition of the oil and network porosity.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized high surface area hypercrosslinked polymers (>400 m²/g) using coconut oil.
• Achieved excellent thermal and chemical stability in the synthesized polymers.
• Demonstrated that saturated fatty acid content in the oil correlates with network porosity.

Conclusions:

• Coconut oil is an effective and sustainable solvent for hypercrosslinked polymer synthesis.
• This method offers a greener alternative to traditional solvent-based approaches.
• The findings support the transition towards environmentally benign polymer manufacturing.